HONOLULU, Hawai'i – The North Dakota softball team opened up its season with a split in a pair of games on Thursday at the Paradise Classic in Honolulu. UND won the first game by a 3-2 margin over Pacific and fell in the second contest, 5-2 to Seattle.

Game 1 vs. Pacific (3-2 Win)
The Fighting Hawks moved to 1-0 for the first time since 2019, as Brooklyn Morris got things started off early in the first inning, with a solo homerun, good for the first home run of her career, to put UND up 1-0.

The Fighting Hawks tacked on another run in the second inning, as Arianna Robillard reached on a throwing error from Pacific, in which Hailey Bethune scored on, to make it 2-0.

Unity Nelson did her thing for the Fighting Hawks, going 4.2 innings, allowing two earned runs, striking out four. Nelson got into a bit of trouble in the fifth, when Tehya Armstrong came in for relief, and shoved 2.1 innings of scoreless ball. Armstrong entered in the top of the fifth, with a runner on second and the score tied at 2-2, as she was able to get out of it.

UND took the lead in the bottom of the fifth, as Katelyn Neumayer stroked a one-out double, which was followed by a Taya Hopfauf single, to put runners at the corners. Bethune's sacrifice fly to center field got Neumayer home, putting the Hawks up 3-2.

Armstrong was nails over the final two innings, recording six outs, while facing just seven batters. She gave up just one hit across the 2.1 innings, throwing only 23 pitches. Seven different Hawks logged a hit, led by Neumayer, who went 2-for-3 at the plate, leading the Hawks to a 3-2 win.
 
Game 2 vs. Seattle (5-2 loss)
Tegan Livesay made her UND debut in the second game of the season, as the SEMO transfer got the nerves out early, allowing five runs on four hits in the first inning. She still proceeded to go the distance, throwing 6.0 innings, striking out five. After the first inning she did not allow a single run, giving up just three hits.

The five runs early on was all Seattle needed, as UND scored just two in the ballgame. North Dakota had four hits, as the teams best rally came in the fourth inning, when Hailey Bethune drove in Camryn Lasota, to make it 5-1. Annabeth Carlberg was able to draw a one-out bases loaded walk, to make it 5-2 Redhawks.

With one-out and the bases loaded, Robillard grounded into a fielder's choice, with the force out at the plate, which was followed by Quincie Chunestudey grounding out to first. The inning ended with UND trailed 5-2.

The Fighting Hawks left two on base across the final three innings, dropping the second game, 5-2.

North Dakota will be back in action on Friday, with a game against Seattle at 2 p.m. and Hawai'i at 7 p.m.

Postgame Notes

• UND improves to 1-2 all-time against Pacific and 3-5 vs. Seattle
• Morris hit her first career home run in the first inning of game one
• Hailey Bethune hit .500 on the day, with two RBIs
• Katelyn Neumayer was 3-for-6 on the day, hitting .500

For more information on North Dakota Softball, follow on social media @UNDsoftball or visit FightingHawks.com.